Smart Senior

We complain a lot about air travel but it is still the quickest and more convenient way to travel. You will be pleasantly surprised to find that being a senior has some perks. My elderly cousin and her husband travel from the Midwest to the East Coast several times a year and have figured out how to make it as painless as possible. This is what she has to say:
“We board a commuter plane at a small airport and don’t need much help at this point. However when we get to the larger airports it is a different story; we take advantage of the transportation assistance offered to seniors (wheelchairs or motorized shuttles) and others who have difficulty walking.
Arrangements for these services can be made in advance (when boarding passes are ordered) but don’t panic if you forget. It is still possible to request assistance when you check in or even when you get to the boarding gate.
When arriving at the large airports, it can be confusing knowing which way to go to get to your boarding gate. Don’t be afraid to ask for help; when using transportation services they will do this for you.
We avoid the check-in kiosks and have the person at the desk print our boarding passes. If you order your tickets on line you will receive a confirmation via e-mail. Take the itinerary to the check-in counter and they will print out your boarding passes.
Fortunately our flights aren’t that long so we don’t have to worry about getting in and out of our seats to stretch our legs. We do wear surgical hose and we try to reserve aisle seats to make getting into and out of seats easier.
The seats are smaller and the little extras that made flying fun have disappeared, but people still go the extra mile for you. Take advantage of the services offered and save yourself the stress of trying to do everything on your own.”
Please feel free to share your experiences and your suggestions on how to make airline travel pleasanter for the senior traveler.